1. Field of the Invention
The invention presented here involves a machine with a multifunctional chassis for working the soil in plantations of trees or shrubs planted in lines, such as vineyards or orchards. This machine is designed to be mounted behind a farm tractor in order to perform cultivating work or soil treatment work such as, for example, hoeing work or mowing work, or the like, and the mounting, on this multifunctional frame, tools fitted to the nature of the work to be done.
2. Description of Related Art
The universal three-point hitch system of farm tractors allows the mounting, at the rear of the tractors, machines constructed to fulfill specific functions and, notably, machines provided with various tools driven by the power take-off shaft of these tractors and allowing working of soil of a specified nature, either between two rows (inter-row) of trees or shrubs (for example, plowing, hoeing, mowing, etc.) or between the feet (inter-trunk) of the rows of trees or shrubs arranged on each inter-row side in which the tractor is moving.
This situation allows the mounting, at the rear of the tractor, of a single machine fitted to perform well-specified localized work. It does not allow the use of two machines capable of accomplishing work that is identical, complementary, or different, depending on the requirements, at the same time in between the rows and in between the trunks of one or two rows of vine stocks, shrubs, or trees.
The invention intends to solve the problems resulting from the insufficiency mentioned above.
This objective is achieved, according to the invention, using a machine consisting of a chassis equipped, on one of its front sides or side, considering the direction of the movement of the machine during work, with mechanisms allowing its mounting on the universal three-point hitch system of a farm tractor, and consisting of, on the side, mechanisms that allow the mounting of lateral tools driven mechanically or hydraulically, from the power take-off shaft of the tractor and allowing working of the soil near the feet of the aligned shrubs or trees, this machine being characterized in that its chassis is provided on its opposite side or rear side with a universal three-point hitch system that allows the mounting, on this chassis, of a machine for cultivating or treatment usually moving in between the rows.
It is understood that this machine can be equipped, on the side, with tools for working the soil between the vinestocks of the vineyard or the feet of the trees or shrubs of the two rows between which the tractor is moving, and using its multifunctional chassis, it allows, if desired, the mounting of a second machine for cultivating or treatment of the soil, working in between the rows (for example: a winegrower""s plow, a harrow, a rotary harrow, a reaper, a sprayer, etc.). With the two machines working simultaneously, the work to be done, whether of a similar or different nature, can be performed in a single passage in between the rows, which allows sizeable gains of time.
According to another characteristic arrangement, the multifunctional chassis of the machine according to the invention consists of, on the one hand, a frame allowing it to be mounted on the universal three-point hitch system of a farm tractor and, on the other hand, a tool-holder supporting the lateral tools of the machine, this tool-holder being suspended in a manner floating from the frame.
Due to this arrangement, the lateral tools of the machine for inter-trunk work, mounted on the universal three-point hitch system of the tractor, and the tools of the machine for working in between the rows mounted on the universal three-point hitch system of the multifunctional chassis of the machine for inter-trunk work, can occupy working positions totally independent from each other relative to the ground, in a manner so that the position of the tools of one of the machines has no harmful influence on the effectiveness of the work performed by the tools of the other one.
According to another characteristic arrangement, the distance between the vertical planes containing the corresponding attachment points of the mechanisms allowing the mounting of the multifunctional chassis on the universal three-point hitch system of a tractor and the attachment points of the universal three-point hitch system of this multifunctional chassis is on the order of 0 to 300 mm.
Due to this arrangement, the length of the train resulting from the mounting of a second machine for working or treating the soil in between the rows, on the multifunctional chassis of the first one, does not cause any appreciable increase of the length of the assemblies formed by a single machine for working in between the rows directly mounted on a tractor. In these conditions, the assembly comprised of the tractor and the two machines for working the soil, can easily maneuver in the vineyards or the orchards and can easily turn at the end of the row, even when the available space is relatively reduced.
According to another characteristic arrangement, the machine having a multifunctional chassis consists of a speed multiplier for driving at least one hydraulic pump for activating at least one tool, the input shaft of this multiplier having, on its front side, a female coupling instrument that allows it to be connected to the fluted shaft of the power take-off of a farm tractor and, on its rear side, a rotary coupling instrument allowing its connection to a cardan drive designed to provide the movement of the tools of a machine working in between the rows mounted on the universal threepoint hitch system of the multifunctional chassis.
Due to this arrangement, the multiplier allows the simultaneous drive of the lateral tools of the machine mounted on the tractor and the tools of the machine for working in between the rows mounted on the multifunctional chassis of it.
According to another characteristic, the machine having a multifunctional chassis according to the invention consists of a tool-holder equipped transversely with mobile arms and whose external ends are laid out in order to support the lateral tools of the machine, the ends being equipped with detectors arranged in front of the tools and acting on the control system of a motorization that provides the synchronized axial displacement of the arms and the recentering of the tools relative to the axis in between rows when one of the detectors encounters an obstacle such as a vinestock of the vineyard, a post of a fence, or trunk of a tree or shrub, during the work.
Due to this arrangement, the lateral tools of the machine always stay centered relative to the axis in between rows.